It went as expected: both of the coaching staffs did a wonderful job preparing for the game and the quarterbacks played brilliantly, although Eli Manning was just better than Tom Brady in the critical fourth quarter. Manning's comeback win was his seventh of the season, a remarkable achievement.

It was a day of torture for me, and I'm sure it wasn't pleasant for you, either. I rooted for New England all the way. The NFC East thing didn't register with me. But congratulations to New York for a job well done. Here is what I saw ...

• The safety call on New England's first play from scrimmage was peculiar. I don't agree with the call, to be honest. Brady wasn't under pressure when he made the throw. There were receivers down the field. It was a rare call, and it came back to cost the Patriots in a big, big way.
• Shocking the way New England's receivers stunk down the stretch.
• I don't have the particular statistics, but it amazes me how many offenses -- including the Eagles -- run the football in second-and-long situations. Maybe offenses feel that they get the defense into a nickel situation and take a linebacker off the field, creating a more favorable personnel matchup with which to run the football. I get the idea -- gain some yards and make third down manageable, but it just seems so frequent, doesn't it?
• Loved the Doritos commercial with the grandmother sling-shotting the baby into the tree to steal the bag, and the Skechers commercial with the racing dog wearing shoes to win the race. Very funny stuff. The Jerry Seinfeld commercial for Acura was a bit over the top, but entertaining. Don't know how many Acuras will be sold to justify the $3.5 million price tag, plus whatever Seinfeld and Jay Leno were paid. Tip of the cap to the Honda CR-V and Matthew Broderick. Good job.
• I admit that I missed the first 49 seconds of the game. I avoided any pre-game hype and, truth be told, watched Joe Dirt (for the 10th time) instead of all the talk leading into the kickoff.
• Madonna's halftime show was no doubt the best Super Bowl show I have ever seen. The staging was terrific, the choreography amazing and the song choice and performance spot on with the appropriate cameos from some acts to keep the kids tuned in.
• Jason Pierre-Paul was the best defensive player on the field. He dominated on just about every snap of the ball. I know how Eagles fans feel about the team's decision to pass on Pierre-Paul and take Brandon Graham in the 2010 draft. We know the deal. That decision will be forever analyzed and criticized, with justification. Graham needs to step up big time in 2012.
• Look for the Eagles to officially add offensive tackle D.J. Jones to the roster now that the 2011 season is over. Jones was claimed after he was waived by Baltimore prior to the playoffs. Jones is a big body whom the Eagles liked coming out of the draft. He signed with Miami, stayed on the practice squad there early in 2011 and then was picked up by Baltimore. Jones is 6 feet 5, 310 pounds. He will get a look in the spring and summer. No promises. No guarantees.
• Think there isn't some luck involved in the game of football? You saw the couple of bouncing footballs on the field, covered up quickly by the Giants.
• Every time Manning takes a snap in a third-and-long situation, I feel like he is going to convert. Manning is an elite quarterback time and time again. Terrific player, and I wouldn't have said that a couple of seasons ago.
• I wouldn't watch Smash if you paid me.
• Every bumper that showed all of the Super Bowl rings turned an awful, tension-filled day into something even worse. I have such a sense of agony, desperation and hope for 2012 -- the Eagles haven't won a title, this has to be the year and it seems like the plan is to keep the core together and build through the draft and spot-fill in free agency.
• Remember how many discussions we used to have about run/pass balance and the absolute necessity of running the football well to win the Super Bowl? It really doesn't apply to this NFL. Oh, it's important to run the ball and to have some balance. No argument there. But the passing game has to work, or teams have trouble scoring.
• NBC did a superb job in its telecast, top to bottom. I'm a big Cris Collinsworth fan and I think Al Michaels is as solid and great as they come. The sideline shot of Giants tight end Jake Ballard trying to run off a knee injury, and then collapsing when he tried to cut, was outstanding.
• Welcome to the big leagues, Kia. You will suddenly see a lot of those cars on the road, just as we have seen Hyundai rise in large part to some smart advertising.
• One question for NBC, though: Where was the blue line, indicating the line of scrimmage?
• You watch the Patriots and Giants, two excellent teams with the two most important elements in the NFL: Quarterbacks and coaches. That is the name of the game in this league, folks.
• Best play of the game: Patriots ball, third and 3 with 5:25 to go in the game in Giants territory and Brady goes to tight end Aaron Hernandez, who lines up in the backfield and runs a route against New York linebacker Michael Boley. First down. Great formation, great execution and strategy to gain a first down. And then Wes Welker drops a pass down the field when he is wide open and the game changes back into New York's favor. This is an amazing game.
• I would take the Manning-Mario Manningham catch and throw as one even better than the Lynn Swann catch in Super Bowl X and the David Tyree catch four seasons ago.